THE Welsh Government needs to prepare for Scottish independence and put forward a coherent vision for the nation’s constitutional future, according to a Plaid Cymru MP.

Today Jonathan Edwards will address the annual commemoration of the death of Llywelyn, the last Prince of Wales before the English conquest.

Llywelyn was killed in battle at Cilmeri, Powys on December 11, 1282.

However, Mr Edwards, who represents Carmarthen East and Dinefwr, will speak on a more contemporary theme.

“I’m going to call on the Welsh Government to start preparing for Scottish independence now,” he said. “It’s a critique of the position of the First Minister who seems to be waiting on events.

“The Scottish independence referendum will fundamentally realign the political structure of the British state. The multi option nature of the referendum question means that Scotland will either be fully independent or be fully sovereign in all policy fields apart from defence and foreign affairs. There is no way the Scottish people are going to vote for the status quo.

“The wait-and-see attitude of the current Welsh Government is deeply irresponsible. In politics you either shape events or they shape you. Whichever option chosen by the Scottish people will have significant consequences for the people of Wales. The Welsh Government needs to be positioning itself in preparation for the realignment that will happen on these isles following the referendum vote to make sure the people of Wales don’t lose out.”

Mr Edwards said he wasn’t holding out much hope of this happening.

“The Welsh Government seems incapable of putting together a coherent response to the economic challenges we face let alone the consequences of the break of the state,” he said.

“The Welsh First Minister can’t even persuade his bosses in London to support fair funding for Wales let alone to lead our country towards a fairer political settlement following Scottish independence.

“The Labour Party, split down the middle between its unionist and nationalist factions, can’t lead. It’s up to the national movement as always to make the case for our country to make sure our people via our own democratically elected institutions are empowered with more responsibility over our lives.”

Mr Edwards added: “If the Welsh Government was acting responsibly, it would be taking the lead and setting out the kind of settlement it wants to see for Wales, both fiscally and constitutionally.

“The Silk Commission [set up to consider whether Wales should be given tax-varying powers, and whether other powers should be devolved from Westminster to Cardiff] has called for submissions by February on the kind of fiscal powers Wales should have. Will the Labour Party do the same as it did at the time of the Richard Commission [on whether the National Assembly should have primary lawmaking powers